The winter months are upon us; our days become colder and are gradually less saturated with sunlight. With this shift in season and emotion, we look toward the things in our lives that bring us comfort, like music. Without fail, our favorite artists seem to perfectly describe our complex state of mind through their craft. Having this deep understanding with the lyricism and emotion behind a song is reassuring as we no longer feel alone with our struggles. That is the power of music; it can connect people across the world and even across generations on the most basic level of humanity. However, I recently discovered that using sad, emotion-provoking music as a crutch is weighing us down.
As college students, we spend a large portion of our days consuming music, whether it is while walking around campus, taking the bus, studying, exercising, or doing any other task that we prefer to not be done in silence. It is understandable that on a day when you feel that the universe is working against you and everything that could go wrong has, you are tempted to turn on that depressing playlist. Don’t press play. The brain absorbs everything, and although it may not be intentional, the continuous consumption of sad songs can push you into a negative cycle. Those verses, choruses and bridges are full of dark and heavy story-telling that can exacerbate what you are already struggling with, forcing you to hyper-fixate on where your life fits between the lines. It can be addicting to use music as an outlet for our emotions, as these artists can beautifully articulate such hardships. Despite this, you may want to take a step back and reflect on whether your song choices are draining you further.
Leaving the comfort of sad music behind may cause hesitation and that is understandable. For the sake of trying, I urge you to challenge yourself to reroute your listening activity to more energizing, upbeat songs. In those moments when you feel down, do the uncomfortable thing and listen to songs that remind you of a happy memory or a nostalgic time in your life that you appreciate. There is a surprising power behind listening to music, as it can influence your outlook on life. With the simple differences in lyrics and beats, consistently consuming music that makes you feel good will reinforce positive emotions and help you forget the painful ones.
If you feel that listening to music that highlights your emotions is the right coping mechanism, experiment with avoiding sad music for only a week. In this short time frame, you may find comfort in other aspects of your life, whether with the people around you or a passion you may have held off on. Prioritize your mental health by focusing on the things that reaffirm you and make you want to smile. Listening to sad music may feel like the most comforting choice on a rainy day, but in retrospect, is it worth the emotional damage?